Roller skate



Dec. 13, 1949 F. J. WAGNER ROLLER S-KATE Filed March 19, 1946 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1949 ROLLER SKATE Frank Wagner, Franklin Square, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Carroll M. Bierman, Franklin Square, Y.

Application March 19, 1946, Serial No. 655,414

9 Claims. (01. zen-41.23)

This invention relates to roller skates in general and more especially to the trucks of roller skates.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved roller skate particularly adapted for use by. performers to facilitate the execution of intricate movements in solo or in ensemble.

In practice with the skates .heretoforeused for figure skating, especially by performers, the trucks for the wheels instead of. being rigid have been constructed to flex characterized bytoneflexture enabling the shoe supporting plate to form an oblique angle relative to the skate supporting device, and characterized by another flexure in which the axes of the two trucks of a skate form an oblique angle to on'eanother when the performer manipulates the skate to traverse an arc.

Due to this flexibility of the truck construction, extreme care had to :be exercised so to adjust the several parts that they would withstand the strains to which they were subjected when the performers in executing a movement would be required to strike theskate receiving surface with a. sudden blow, as an instance :at the end of a jump or the like.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention aimed to provide an improved roller skate, the trucks of which would not only lend themselves with facility to flex when called-upon to doso, but also eifectivelyw ith'stand the severe blows tofwhich the trucks are subjected in executing certain movements.

These "and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific :ern- H bodi'ment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a roller skate made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing in full lines the position of the wheels toone another when the trucks are not flexed, and showing in dash and dot lines the position of the two pairs of wheels when the trucks are .inclinedto execute a curve. 7

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the skateshown in Fig. 1 when the truck is not flexed.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the skate shown invFig. 1 when the truck is flexed.

In the embodiment shown the shoe supporting plate 1, preferably composed-of metal, is secured to a front casting 2 by the rivets 3 connecting the lateral diminished portions 4 with the plate ll. The casting 2.,1seeEig. 1, preferably :has an. enlarged portionv 5; provided with an inthreaded portion 1 of the screw 3. This screw'fl preferably has a convex head 9 spacedfrom the smooth shank portion in by the annular recess II. To the front of the enlargement 5 the casting is provided with a cylindrical cavity LIZ-having a conical depression I'3 t-o receive the spherical headl l of the pin 15, the. smooth shank I5 of which is spaced from the spherical head it by the diminished neck or recess l:-l;. In order to predetermine the positionnof the screw- 8: in the casting 2, the lock nut .18 is provided. When the screw '3 has been screwed into. the casting the required. distance, the, look not it isqtightened against the enlargement 5 as shown.

The screw Efornrs a .flxedapoint around which the axle supporting plate IS. may rock, and the pin it on the other hand forms a movable :anch'or relative to which the plate l9 is slidable.

'Iwo .yiel'dable blocks or plugs 72d :and 2|, preferably composed of rubber, are provided tocoe operate with the screw 8. and pin 15 to enable the plate [9 to incline relative to the casting 2. The plug 28 preferably has a metal cap that one end to rest against th'e locknutflh, the cap '22 and-plug "El! havingalined openings'to receive the screw 8 as shown in Fig. -1. The outer end of ternally. screw threaded opening 6 .to receive the the plug 20 rests in the annular recess "23 formed in the plate'lil. This recess 23 is formed at one end of the conical opening 24 in the plate 19, the outer smaller end of which is larger than the smooth shank portion [0 of the screw "8 but smaller than the head '9 so that depending upon the compression of the plug 2!] in the use of the skate, the shank portion N1 of the screw will have considerable freedom in the recess 24 with the edge of the plate I9 at theend of the recess 26 riding on the convex face of the heads. The plug 2| has a, cap 25 adjacent, the casting '2 and a second cap '26 to rest against the extenslon 21 of the plate IS. The caps 25, 25 m p'lug 2| have registering openings toreceive the plain shank portion lfiof the pin 1'15 which is slldably mounted in the opening 23 extending through the extension 27 and main portion oftheplateflQ.

As aforesaid, depending upon, the pressure exercised on the plate vl by the performer-and the direction of the pressure, the plugs 20-,and 2| will be compressedwith the wheels Zeald 3D of -the plate I9. to assume thedash anddot line position shown in Fig. 2, onto assume any position between the dash and dot line position and the full line position shown in .Eig 2,;and fat the same time the plate -I, see Fight, mayass m therosition. shown in Ri 4, or any pesitien between the position shown in Fig. 4 and the position shown in Fig. 3.

The truck at the rear of the plate I is identical to the truck secured to the front of the plate I except that the screw 3i instead of being at the rear of the truck, as is the case with the screw 8, is now at the front of the truck, and the movable pin 32, instead of being at the front of the truck is now at the rear of the truck. When the screw 3| and pin 32 of the rear truck and the screw 8 and pin l5 of the front truck are assembled as shown, then the plate I, see Fig. 4, depending upon the pressure exercised upon the same, and the direction of pressure exercised on the same, will assume either the position shown in Fig. 4. or any position between that shown in Fig. 4 and that shown in Fig. 3, and the front truck including the wheels 29 and 30 and the rear truck including the wheels 33 and 34 depending upon the pressure exercised and the direction of pressure will assume either the dash and dot line position shown in Fig. 2 or any position between the dash and dot line position shown in Fig. 2 and the full line position shown in Fig. 2.

The rear and front trucks as will appear from Fig. 2 will operate or rather incline in opposite directions when a pressure is exercised at an angle to the plate i. This obviously results from the fact that the screw 8 and pin i5 are just the reverse in position to the screw 3! and pin 32 of the rear truck, and the trucks pivoting around the screws 8 and 3| and the yieldable plugs, such as the plugs 2i and 35 of the pins l5 and 32, respectively, contracting or yielding to permit the plates [9 and 33 to slide relative to the pins l5 and 32 and rotate or rock relative to the screws 8 and 3 i.

It would also appear from the foregoing that since the pin [5 and screw 8 of the front truck and the screw 3| and pin 32 of the rear truck are normally parallel to one another when the skater strikes the ground after a jump, the yieldable plug surrounding the screws 3 and 3! and pins l5 and 32 will yield or compress permitting the screws 8 and 3i and pins l5 and 32 to slide downwardly relative to the plates l9 and 33 and thus in the first place serve as a shock absorber for the impact, and in the next place protect the screws 8 and 3! and pins l5 and 32 from any undue strains.

The wheels 29 and 33 are journalled on the ends of the axles 37 mounted in the plate l9, and the wheels 33 and 34 are journailed on the ends of the axle 38 mounted in the plate 36.

It is obvious that various changes and modiiications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, an axle, and a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said axle, of a truck including a casting secured to the Shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a second plate in which said axle is mounted and having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a screw screwthreadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and extending through the conical opening of said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess of said casting and slidably mounted in the elongated '4 cylindrical opening of said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said second plate and said casting to enable said second plate to slide relative to said screw and pin upon compression of said yieldable means.

2. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, an axle, and a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on said axle, of a truck including a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a second plate in which said axle is mounted and having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a screw screwthreadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and extending through the conical opening of said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess of "said casting and slidably mounted in the elongated cylindrical opening of said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said second plate and said casting to enable said second plate to slide relative to said screw and pin upon compression of said yieldable means, said screw and pin normally being disposed parallel to one another, said yieldable means enabling said second plate under compression to incline relative to said shoe supporting plate.

3. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, an axle and a pair of wheels journalled on said axle, of a truck including a casting secured to said shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a second plate in which said axle is mounted and having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess of said casting, said pin being slidably mounted in the elongated cylindrical opening of said second plate, the outer end of said screw being freely movable in the conical recess of said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate and compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate.

4. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair'of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative'to said shoe supporting plate.

5. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elon ated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate, the screw of the truck at the front end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the rear of its pin and the screw of the truck at the rear end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the front of its pin.

6. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the Conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and only slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate, said yieldable means including cylindrical rubber blocks mounted on each screw and each pin.

7. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screW-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and only slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate, the screw of the truck at the front end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the rear of its pin and the screw of tne truck at the rear end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the front of its pin, said yieldable means including cylindrical rubber blocks of substantial length mounted on each screw and each pin.

8. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and only slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate, said yieldable means including cylindrical rubber blocks of substantial length mounted on each screw and each pin, said screw having a head engaging the outer face of said second plate and determining the required compression of said rubber blocks.

9. The combination, in a roller skate having a shoe supporting plate, a pair of axles, and a pair of wheels journalled on each axle, of a truck for each axle including a second plate in which the axle is mounted, said second plate having a conical shallow opening and an elongated cylindrical opening, a casting secured to the shoe supporting plate, said casting having an internally threaded elongated opening and a shallow recess, a screw screw-threadedly connected in the internally threaded elongated opening of said casting and slidable and freely rockable in the conical opening in said second plate, a pin having a head movably mounted in the shallow recess in said casting and only slidable in the elongated cylindrical opening in said second plate, and extended yieldable means disposed between said casting and said second plate compressible to enable said second plate to rock and incline relative to said shoe supporting plate, the screw of the truck at the front end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the rear of its pin and the screw of the truck at the rear end of the shoe supporting plate being disposed to the front of its pin, said yieldable means including cylindrical rubber blocks of substantial length mounted on each screw and each pin, said screw having a head engaging the outer face of said second plate and determining the required compression of said rubber blocks.

FRANK J. WAGNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,275,035 Pardon Mar. 3, 1942 2,310,683 Enley Feb. 9, 1943 

